Areas of Expertise

Creation of data warehouse feeds and extracts that require succinct and reconcilable
transactions or net changes by time frame

Expertise in reducing or eliminating competing sets of information and avoiding separately evolving islands of automation

Here are some potentially tough questions delving into whether your company has islands of automation in the CRM category (customer relationship management).

Can your company keep track of multiple contacts and their touchpoints for a single customer?

Is your system forcing you to store duplicates or multiple IDs for the same customer and then allowing them to evolve separately?

Can correspondence be prepared that handles individual consumers differently than customer companies?

Do your customer service reps ask for email information to verify their record, the customer's identity or because they don't have it? Does the answer they receive make it back to the source customer database?

with native call-program support for IBM System i (with ASNA Visual RPG for .NET)

Expertise with 3 toolsets for creating web services

Solve multiple trading partner challenges with fewer initiatives

Companies with operational dependencies across divisions

As a way to provide information that is easier to digest by less sophisticated clients (such as browsers)

We have expertise in permissions control, database admin and
server virtualization in addition to most of the well-established
professional application development disciplines.

the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)
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With the advent of agile and RAD methodologies, it is
generally accepted that not all phases of the SDLC are always required nor that they must be performed sequentially. In fact,
some phases can be performed concurrently and some can be performed iteratively in repeating groups.
The great thing about
our expertise is that we have a nice feel for when these facets are benecifial and alternatively, when we can cut them out without detriment.

Perhaps not so great from the smaller customer's
viewpoint is that we won't eliminate project facets that compromise integrity. Our
approach isn't just about today, so we want to be on the lookout for potential exposures
or exposing elements within the software systems we are working on. Building and maintaining application systems with integrity, it's
in our interest, and we think it is in your interests also.

One standard within our approach is to look for automation of change management functions. Change tracking, automated build facilities
and deployment utilities make a sizeable difference in the long run. For larger companies that must comply with SOX regulations,
this type of automation is one key to regaining your ability to efficiently improve the systems that provide strategic advantage to your company.
If your company does not have packaged utility software or components in place for change management, then we can
utilize our own little utilities library arsenal, DARWIN - Software Evolution and Change Management Software.

Footnote
We would like to mention that our standard
practices and SDLC expectations have evolved nicely based on the advanced
capabilities of the IBM i operating system (previous version known as i5/OS),
Db2 for i Database and ILE language environment (Integrated Language
Environment). To make a long story a little shorter, the integrated meta-data
exchange that occurs between database, executable, command language and UI
objects make a number of development aspirations more feasible even for the small but savvy IT
shop. An example of this occurs within the area of automated impact analysis documentation, as it can be done
without dependence upon (each individual shop's) rigourous naming standards or orchestration rules.

Only Some Facets of your IBM i Apps Need Modernization
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Data congestion in the textual UI can be a productivity killer for the software developer (with size limits in the number of characters that will fit). This is because a significant percentage of new application enhancements are being made in mature applications where screen real estate is tight.

One of the contributors to this result is a design thought that productivity increases when there are less screen navigation steps. This is a traditional truth that still applies, even including browser apps, although less so with speedy client-server apps (especially those with ease of use for layering windows). Another contributor is that many companies suffer from a handfull of small roadblocks that end up requiring developers to pursue less productive work arounds or compromises. Make sure your company isn't one of these or give us an opportunity to discuss this with you. Here are a few initial suggestions and concepts.

Watch out for restrictions placed on the client UI by desktop admins who don't use the application

Insure use of a UI design pallette (and that a source code-mod marking standard does not inhibit or prohibit use)

Revisit the widescreen format and see if your current client software and monitor combinations provide a reasonable result. If so, transition to the new format could be a great medium-term productivity gain with excellent ROI.

Tangent: If your current client of choice does not have ease of access to PC desktop applications or web services, start keeping track of enhancements that have been derailed or whittled down based on this lack of access (along with time spent)

Make sure delivery of a database change does not require a lot of manual developer work. While manual work can be justified in some cases, RPG application and DB2 data integrity is marbled into the equation on this platform, so this topic needs more depth, stay tuned for more info...

Here, a suggestion to extend your business application environment to include browser-based (zero footprint) applications for external users without sacrificing UI and DB integration, developer productivity or requiring a comprehensive revamp of existing application architecture

Consider the likelihood that web application development techniques and capabilities are typically more rudimentary than client-server, even though web applications are the latest thing

Consider the possibility that there is ongoing promotion of development methods and strategies out in the marketplace that aren't as productive as what you currently have in place

Seek an IDE that offers a design pallete for the UI

Consider the significant differences in application and UI layout and flow justified for (non-employee) browser-based users (as opposed to internal applications). The layout of the application for external / browser / casual users must be as simple as possible so that it can be completely self-service and as intuitive as possible. This is most often a totally different equation than that used for internal applications.

Similarly, be careful when dismissing a productive internal application as obsolete for purposes of evaluating application flow. The guts of the application is a different story but maybe this means that you might first want to build (a smaller) something new in the way it makes most sense for your business and technology mix. And only then later, to examine how your existing application layer logic was used or copied in the process.

Seek ease of interaction with database(s) in addition to standard connection methods. This may come in the form of IO extensions, such as use of a data structure based on a table column layout (or database file record format). Sometimes this is in the form of an automated copy, like a wizard creating a data set in Visual Studio based on a SQL Server definition. Sometimes it is created via compile-time instance with references specified in source code as in DDS and RPG. And let's not forget that most RPG languages offer RLA (record-level access) and an open data path (ODP) that combine to offer something with a lot more capabilities than a SQL cursor (albeit a lot more proprietary).

Consider whether you want a development environment that offers snap-in GUI controls (or at least pre-defined ways to specify textual UI data elements) and ability to interact with user data in the programming language out of the box (IO extensions for ease of interaction with the UI). Or whether it makes sense to build your own UI controller that orchestrates
the interaction between layers of your architecture, so that you can be in position to build something that interacts more fluidly with current but rudimentary architectures or with new UI frameworks that are introduced in the future.

Identify applications really benefiting from browser access and then identify shared foundation components amongst those applications that have an identifiable ROI. Examples of shared foundation components (in a rich programming environment) might be permissions handling and navigation. Build a simple version of these either first or concurrently with the first application chosen (with identifiable ROI). Unfortunately or fortunately, a public audience is quite different than an internal employee audience or a supplier/distributor/partner audience. What this often means is that you have a lot of internal business processes that won't be needed or that will barely resemble (inside or out) something that is built for a casual web user or business partner. Thus, if you don't need to re-use it in the near future, don't spend time and money reorganizing it yet.

What are good projects to consider first?

customer service information such as product documentation or orders, open or history (registration might be involved)

information for sales reps and employees out in the field (html5 capable, tablet-sized on up)

those benefiting from simple graphs, which can be displayed without 3rd party controls with .NET Framework 3.0 and beyond

Inquiry and/or Reports in general

part or all of the browser display can be sized (scaled) at time of printing by the user

by eliminating the DB update requirement, many challenges are reduced, eliminated or postponed including:

record locking strategies (concurrency decisions, goals, logistics)

sizing (or max size) of data elements

since prevalent access is via SQL techniques and stored procedures, this may be the first instance that the technical staff has to live without RLA (record-level access), thus an inquiry and/or report is an opportunity to get started on something that isn't mission-critical. (note: RLA is offered with ASNA's Visual RPG for .NET language/compiler)

DDS versus DDL... What does a conversion buy you? When do you really need it? What capabilities will you be giving up or have to find a way to do differently? What kind of things can you do now while you are still using DDS? Answer: variable-length, null-capable data types, extended field/column names using the alias attribute...

Examine Linoma's RPG Toolbox instead. Really. Not only does it do conversion to RPG/free from either version and back but it has actual translation options that modernize code. With our apologies to your in-house development staff, please don't let them "save you money" on this one!

Repackaging of background service type functions into web services

Piping of your DB2 on i data directly into .net .aspx web pages along with formatting but without programming (including how to display fixed length character fields in dynamically sized columns).

When might a new, non-zero footprint desktop client be exactly what is needed?

When the new things you want to do with your 5250 application require interaction with other data elements or feeds already available to/at the PC desktop (level) (OS, permissions or connectivity etc.)

When it reduces complexity when needing to integrate or interact with other facets of the desktop or network

When you want to hide or automate cumbersome or repetitive screen navigation through the use of client-side java or vb script, such as when needing to go through a number of steps to switch session companies

When it secures communications without extra purchases or much work at all

When it provides a wizard for deploying and updating the GUI handling rules on the PC client in controlled desktop environments

When it allows customization by adding controls, forms and layouts in high impact areas

When most of the application is pretty dang great as it sits

When it participates in the creation of composite applications using also data retrieved from direct database access and web services

Consultation for using the IBM.Data.DB2.iSeries.dll managed data provider

Windows Web Server Virtualization Under Hyper-V
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This is a service offering intended for companies with
outsourced, small or midsized IT departments... Basically we offer low cost, quick and easy setup and
configuration of virtualized Windows servers as web hosts/web servers using Windows Hyper-V on Windows 2012 R2 and
later. This can include configuration for public internet access when a server farm is not
required.

What is a virtualized environment?

Multiple complete Windows server instances functioning separately and independently within one or more physical machines

Having challenges making the transition to ASP.NET?

Virtualization techniques and our help can help get you there without working yourself to death, becoming anxietal or breaking the bank.

Other reasons to consider using virtual servers:

It effectively enables rollback to exact previous OS, application and data version without special software

Also goes a long way towards simplification of disaster recovery and rebuild strategies

It can help you achieve self-sufficiency in your web development efforts (independence from consultants) and bring web development back in-house. Hosting the site is worth it in some cases such as when the number of physical database locations can be reduced.

It allows web application deployment research and experimentation with new versions of Windows Server often without requiring new hardware

An honorable mention goes to any online listing service utilizing our company name (or a permutation of it) and saying we do computer or PC repair. These folks should not be considered an authorized source for information regarding our company. When this situation is encountered, please seek another source to cross-reference for information about Tegratecs Development Corp. prior to making any important conclusions.

So we want to clarify that we have never claimed to do PC Repair or Computer Repair in 30 years of doing business. We don't even do hardware repair on our own stuff. Sure we can remediate and fix and support computer software of many kinds. And we are doing PC admin work in various situations which often involves work at the Operating System level as opposed to the application level, and thus is significantly closer to the machine level. And we can add memory to a PC. But none of this should be considered PC repair, which should be considered a hardware category or electronics or something not intertwined with software development services or application
architecture. Kind of like us referencing these listing services on our website as a place to go for online exposure enhancement and computer repair. Although that's not a bad idea come to think of it.